Unhappy With Your Weight? 7 Reasons Your Scale Might Be Wrong

What if that number you see on the scale each morning isn't actually how much you weigh? These surprising factors could influence your weight.

You weigh yourself on different days each week

istock/Jacob Ammentorp Lund

In a Cornell University study published last year, researchers analyzed the food and weight diaries that 80 people kept for up to a year. They found that peoples’ weight fluctuated considerably throughout the week—many people were heaviest on Mondays (blame decadent weekend eating) and lightest on Fridays. Keep weigh-in days consistent for a more accurate assessment.

You miscalculate your clothing

istock/Brian Jackson

File this one under “Yes, scientists have actually studied this.” When University of North Dakota researchers weighed people naked and clothed at various times of the year, they found that men can subtract 2.5 pounds for their clothing and women can shave off around two pounds, on average.